Serving our Country members shared aloha greetings recently at the University of Honolulu, O’ahu, H’awaii during the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) 2016 conference. Mick, Craig, Noah, John, Sam and Allison presented at a Serving Our Country panel on 21 May about the project Yarn Ups– including the experiences of women’s services, Vietnam veterans, commemoration, community responses and how the Yarn Ups developed.

We attended presentations about Native American memories of residential schools, land and water management, military presence on Hawaii and more. Some of us participated in day of service (huaka’i) activities, such as working in fish ponds and medicine gardens. It was a great way to meet and learn from local Indigenous communities about their initiatives to keep culture strong.

Mahalo to the organisers (including Australia’s RMIT and NIRAKN this time round) for an excellent conference experience!